Reunion
by curiosityhopes
Summary: The gang gets back together after a whirlwind year apart. Collins, Mark, RogerMimi and MaureenJoanne.


Title: Reunion  
Author: Laura  
Feedback: yes, please!  
Pairing: Collins and Mark friendship with Roger/Mimi and Maureen/Joanne  
Word Count: 1958 (somehow it just kept growing!)  
Rating: PG  
Genre: General, a little Humor and a smidgen of Mark-Angst  
Summary: The gang gets back together for a reunion after a year apart.  
Notes: Just one little take on what life could be like post-Rent. :)  
Special Thanks: for the warm reception to speedrent. You guys are great!  
Spoilers: not as long as you're familiar with the characters  
Warnings: one rude gesture?  
Disclaimer: Rent unfortunately isn't mine.

The occasional clatter of dishes coming from the kitchen was the only noise heard above the low buzz of intimate conversations in the dimly lit restaurant. Collins surveyed the room with pride, like a father watching his child learning to walk. His quiet reverie was broken as a shaggy-haired blond man in a leather jacket walked through the front entrance.

"Collins! My man! How are you?" Roger asked, enclosing him in a bear hug. Collins felt someone tugging Roger away and soon he found Mimi, six months pregnant, wrapped in his embrace.

"Damn, girl! You are absolutely glowing!" Collins exclaimed, taking Mimi's hands and spinning her around, smiling at her now rounded figure. "I'm so glad you could make it!"

"Hey we're only sorry we couldn't be here sooner! How did the grand opening go last weekend? Wow, high class, Collins!" Roger surveyed the candlelit tables, with their crisp white tablecloths and the bow-tied wait staff overseeing them.

Collins only smiled. "There's no time limit on a visit! And, to answer your question, it went great. I can't believe this has actually happened!"

The trio was interrupted by the penetrating voice of Maureen entering the establishment, an obviously annoyed Joanne in tow. "Pookie, I can't believe you think it's my fault we got lost! I told you we should have taken a cab!" Joanne retorted about the lack of cabs in New Mexico compared to LA and the relative savings of renting a car but Maureen was already hanging on Collins and chattering like a school girl with Mimi about the upcoming addition to their family. Joanne rolled her eyes and went to hug Collins, talking with him about the business aspects of his new entrepreneurial adventure.

The five were getting ready to sit down to dinner at a private table in the back when the sixth member of their party came into the room, looking flustered as usual. The bespectacled blond man unwound his trademark scarf from his neck, which he was wearing despite the heat, and strode over to Collins and his seat. Mark leaned down and gave the older man a giant hug.

"I thought the actress would be the last one here, making an entrance!" Roger laughed and Maureen screwed up her nose and glared at him in response.

"Hi to you too, Roger--after a year?" Mark deadpanned, going around the table and kissing all the women on the cheek. When he got to his old roommate, he tousled his shaggy locks--something he knew Roger hated. "So sorry I'm late everyone--airport delay."

Once the six had been seated, Collins signaled to a young waiter standing in the corner and while the group perused the menu, several bottles of wine were placed on the table. The five complimented Collins on the excellent choices and asked his opinion on what to select. Maureen made sure to orchestrate dinner so that everyone had something different, everything she wanted to try of course.

Once the order was taken, everyone immediately began to talk. Collins, ever the peacekeeper, quieted the room and made the suggestion that they go around the table and update the gang on their lives over the past year. This was quickly agreed upon and Roger and Mimi volunteered to start.

"Well I think you guys knew about the wedding, right?" Roger started and Mark flipped an ice cube at him. "Come on, Rog! Like we'd forget being there for that wild party?" Joanne joked.

Mimi took over and talked about their new apartment and the new record shop that Roger was managing. "I work there too, but it probably will be tapering off soon with the baby coming though." Mimi said.

"I mean, I'm still playing with the band, of course! I guess the prospect of a baby scared me into getting a real job too. Martin, the manager at CBGBs has a little shop near the bar and he needed someone who knows music to help out." Roger grinned sheepishly.

"Hey, no shame in that! Congratulations you two, on the baby, the jobs and the place!" Joanne raised her wine glass and the group shared a toast, with Mimi raising her water to everyone's wine. "Have you two decided on names?"

The couple exchanged glances and Roger spoke. "Well, we didn't want to know if it was a boy or a girl but if it's a boy, we were thinking about Thomas Mark. What do you guys think?" Maureen commented that she'd never seen the guys smile that hard.

"So how about you two?" Mimi asked Maureen and Joanne. "How's LA?"

Before Joanne could even open her mouth, her girlfriend was already off and running. "LA is so exciting! I mean, I miss New York but the weather out in California is just amazing! And I've had a couple of really good auditions--I think I may really be in the running for a small part in this new film..."

Mark shared a knowing smile across the table with Joanne and as soon as Maureen paused to take a breath, he broke in. "Joanne, how's life at the new firm? Are your parents happy to have you running the new west coast office?"

Joanne talked a bit about the new law office and the quaint little place she and Maureen had on a cliff overlooking the Santa Monica Bay as well as the puppy they had adopted. The couple was engaged again, with their nuptials in six months being the next get-together the group had planned, and it actually appeared that they were really going to make it this time.

Maureen laid her head on Joanne's shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. "So Marky, how's our famous filmmaker? Why don't you ever come by our place when you're in LA?"

The fair-skinned young man still blushed at his ex-girlfriend's use of the pet name but started talking about his latest project, a documentary using footage he had from an AIDS-stricken village in Africa and the group Doctors Without Borders who was trying to help. He laughed at having to spend alternate weeks in New York and California, surprised at his new bi-coastal, world-traveler status. "How about you, Collins man? This place is spectacular!"

Collins beamed. "Hey I have to say Angel inspired me. I couldn't have done this without her watching over me." He talked about how once he moved out to Santa Fe, everything just seemed to fall into place. His staff was amazing, the place was running smoothly and he couldn't believe the rave reviews he was already getting from restaurant critics.

"Do you ever miss the gritty old city though?" Roger asked.

"Of course! Though most of the time, I really can't complain about smog-free blue skies not to mention not having lazy students to chase after about papers and exams! And do I even have to start about that filthy loft?" The table laughed.

They chatted and exchanged stories for a while longer, the laughter of old friends mixed with the clinking of glasses filtering out into the restaurant, but several bottles of wine later Roger and Mimi stood up to leave.

"I'd better get Mimi to bed. These hormones make her really cranky if she doesn't get her beauty sleep." Mimi gave Roger a playful swat and the couple hugged everyone goodnight, walking out with their fingers interlaced.

Maureen and Joanne also made their exit, citing the late hour but the men could tell by the looks exchanged between them that sleep was the last thing on their minds. The women kissed Mark and Collins goodbye and left the restaurant with their arms wrapped around each other.

"And then there were two." joked Collins. Mark shrugged and smiled. "Let me just make sure the kitchen's doing okay closing up and then we can go chat more at the bar."

When Collins met Mark at the tall mahogany bar, he was perched on the edge of a barstool, idly twirling the wine glass between his fingers. "A penny for your thoughts?" Collins asked.

Mark sighed and took off his glasses to wipe them on his shirt. "Do you ever regret moving out here, Collins? I mean, we're all doing so great, doing things we've always wanted to. But it just feels like something's missing. That comment you said about family at Angel's funeral... did we really leave our family behind to chase some career?"

Collins smiled and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Still waters still run deep, I see. I know what you mean though, man. Nights like tonight, with all of us together, talking and laughing like we've never been apart, make me miss having this every single day. But family never dies, Mark. Don't you remember Angel's death? It was you all who got me through that and you know what? We didn't lose Angel. If anything, we gained an even stronger connection to her and to each other. And you know what, I don't think that's an emptiness you're feeling. I think it's something stronger than you or I can even explain, something that fills us more than we even have room for. It's times apart, times of trouble, that bring us even closer together, give us that feeling deep inside. Hell, look at Mimi and Roger, Maureen and Joanne! If they haven't made it through just about everything, I don't who has!"

Mark chuckled softly. "Ever the philosopher, my friend. I suppose you're right. I just have these moments though, where something happens--fantastic or horrible--and I immediately look around to share them with Roger or you. And then it sinks in that we're all scattered across the country now."

"Man, they have this amazing new invention now called the telephone..."

Mark waved his middle finger at Collins and the two shared a laugh, finishing off their glasses of wine. "You know what I mean." Collins nodded.

Mark continued. "Maybe I'm just a sentimental fool, resistant to change. But there are days that I'd give up the fame, the money, the ability to pick projects of my own just to be back in the loft, dirt poor and freezing, with you guys." Another sigh escaped his lips.

"You know what that means, Mark? It means that you have something that a lot of other supposedly successful people don't--relationships, people who mean more to you than the material things in life. So if something happens that we lose it all, we will always have each other. We could be back in the loft, eating stale cereal and making coffee on the hot plate and we'd still be happy because we'd be together. That's something that no one can take away."

Mark was silent for a moment before hopping off of the stool to wrap his arms around Collins. They embraced for a moment and then Collins ruffled Mark's hair. "Alright, sentimental time over. What do you say we have some Stoli for old times' sake and then I take you to this great little bar down the street? We may have great friends but we need to find you a girl! The bartender there is pretty cute, I think she might be your type."

Ten minutes later, the boys were locking up and heading out to the parking lot. "You'll just follow me to Arthur's?" Collins asked.

"Sure thing. Oh and Collins?" He turned and looked at Mark. "Thanks, man. You always know just what to say."

"I have a little divine inspiration from time to time." Both men smiled and looked up at the stars. Collins was right. No one and nothing could take away the bond these friends shared. Not money, not distance and certainly not time.


End file.
